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Elia

3.9 (172 reviews)
Open • 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM

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ELIA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Intimate
Romantic
Upscale

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Recommended Reviews - Elia

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Mussels
Molly C.

This is a good spot for Turkish cuisine with a really unique feel. The interior space is nicely designed and sexy. The use of interesting plates and platters make the presentation stand out. We had the mezze platter, which was tasty and offered a good variety to start the meal. Service was friendly and prompt, and the drinks were a nice addition to the experience. Overall, a pleasant visit and I'd come back to try some of the other dishes.

Giovanni D.

We ventured out for brunch at this Turkish place and it surpassed our expectations! The all-you-can-eat brunch was a winner. Every plate was a delight! The cheese, bread, eggs, and cold salads were all amazing. Wish the server had explained each dish, hence the 4 stars, but the flavors spoke for themselves. I also enjoyed the Turkish beer and coffee. Friendly staff, Mediterranean ambiance, and uniquely styled plates added to the experience. Can't wait to try dinner!

All you can eat - A selection of Mediterranean food including baked bread, dips, and a baked dish with herbs, served on a restaurant table.
Suhani A.

We did the all you can eat experience and it was so great! Absolutely loved everything we ordered. The food is really very very good. I would give it 5 stars, but I felt that the service wasn't the best. It seemed like every waiter had a different understanding of the all you can eat menu and each waiter would add what seemed like their own made up restriction on the menu. For instance, one waiter told me we could only order each item once, and then another waiter said no we could order more but we must order only one order of a given dish at a time, even though we were two people. If two people are dining and each paying for all you can eat, they should both be able to order their own meals. Other than the complications around the menu, it was overall still fun and the food was great!

Giselle L.

We decided to check out Elia after seeing an ad on Instagram, and we LOVED IT. The place is so beautiful with a lot of red tones, so elegant spot. The food was fantastic! We tried their all-inclusive menu, and it's not a buffet, it's actually unlimited plates. They started us off with a bunch of different starters, and then we got to pick our main dishes and desserts. My husband and I have tried Mediterranean food in a lot of places, and this place is right up there at the top of our list now. The staff was incredibly welcoming, the food was amazing, and the prices were really reasonable.

Bread
Jeremías C.

The food was really good. The restaurant is in a great location and it's beautiful inside and very clean. The service was terrible. So we were sat down right in front of the door and it was really cold. So we asked to be moved and they did move us. After that we were pretty much ignored and it got worse as the night went on. The appetizers and the food came out at the same time. I wasn't exactly sure who our waiter was because we ended up having to flag down someone and all of a sudden that became the person attending us even though she wasn't the person who took our order. It was my wife's birthday so they gave us 2 small pieces of backlava but they took our forks and napkins before the backlava came so it was messy. Then we sat for a while trying to get someone's attention to get the check. It was really unfortunate that their service was terrible because the food was really good

Bread for hummus
Natasha A.

Came here at 5 on a Friday, they asked us if we had reservations, we did not and there were three of us. Didn't seem to matter as there was no one inside or outside. We sat in one of the outdoor couches. Prior to arrival I looked in here and saw they had a kids menu. I asked when we arrived and they shared they did not. So as a reminder they do NOT have a kids menu anymore. We got the Pastami Hummus which is more of a jerky style pastrami within a plain hummus. It was quite good. It was served with a thick bread. Then we got the grill meal for 2. It came with three meat skewers charred in a good way. It was steak, lamb, and chicken, then it had 1 pepper, 1 tomato, and pickled the grilled red onion, and a traditional chickpea rice. I felt it should have had more vegetable options or more than 1 tomato and 1 pepper. It was good. Simple but good. They didn't serve it with a sauce so it was a little dry. Definitely recommend getting a sauce if you order this from a different part of the menu. My kid got fries, and a lemonade. They do not have a N.A. drink menu with juices or anything really. It was surprising. The service was slow, I asked the waiter for the check he nodded, left came back and asked if we wanted a box or dessert. My partner then asked for the check and the waiter obliged. It felt weird.

Pide
Ozzie T.

We stopped in on Thursday night for the $35 all you can eat special. Flavors wowed us! To start, you get 6 mezes. We really enjoyed all of them: the hummus was one of the best I've had; the Muhammara has roasted red pepper, bread crumbs, walnuts; tzatziki; htipiti was delish with roasted spicy red peppers and creamy feta cheese. The grilled chicken and adana were grilled to perfection and seasoned perfectly. And, you must try the truffle cheese saganaki. It's delightful. We sat outside and you can't sit outside and not have a cocktail. I tried the Smoky Saint, it was pretty good with mezcal and passionfruit. Overall, a nice restaurant with delish food.

Andrés W.

This amazing turkish restaurant located in wicker park is absolutely incredible!!! Went there on a Thursday with some friends I haven't seen for a while, one of them suggested to eat at this place because they have a great all you can eat only on Thursday's, also there is no menu for you during the AYCE, they start bringing everything out to you. All dippings were amazing, they have a cheese with honey truffle that we repeated like 4 times, and also ordered extra pita bread just to keep dipping on those. The meat platter, the chicken is absolutely my favorite, made with chicken thigths and overly juicy, the lamb I was drooling at it too, but the Chicken is the winner and you can't miss on this one. We sat on the patio and our waiter was incredible and keep checking on us if we needed something else or bringing more food, he kept it on point. I will undoubtedly come back again and bring more people when they visit chicago

Baklava - A piece of baklava with multiple layers of phyllo dough and a honey glaze, served on a white plate with crumbs.
Susan W.

We decided to try the Thursday all you can eat mezze and kebabs and oh my gosh it was amazing! The ambiance and decor in this place was beautiful. Elegant and tasteful and comfortable. Our server was quick to explain the AYCE offer and food started coming out fast. There was so much! The kebabs were especially tasty so don't fill up on all the bread. We enjoyed all the spreads and were pleasantly surprised to see they brought us dessert also. Drinks were well priced and they kept our water glasses full. The value cannot be beat and this would be such a fun place to come as a group. They have AYCE on Thursday and brunch for an even better price. We will be back!

cocktail list
Kayla F.

A wonderful birthday experience! With amazing cocktails to delicious food, this place is a must try! Located in the heart of west town this place has great cocktails, appetizers, main dishes and desserts. The staff was sure to make our experience unforgettable! They were attentive and kind. The atmosphere was warm the whole night and a perfect spot to celebrate my birthday. I hope to return soon!

Dorhec B.

I have been twice in a week. My friend invited me for my bday last Thursday. All day all you can eat $35. Love it! Worth every penny. I would recommend you to not eat a lot of the appetizers which are breads and dips because for the second round of food you'll be stuff. I won't make that mistake next it was my only meal for the day and until dinner next day. The chicken and the lamb ufffff Service was great, Ebrar was funny and nice to us! Then I went today (Sunday) for $25 all you can eat brunch to see difference and because I was amazed by my experience on Thursday. The pics you'll see are from brunch but they are almost the same for lunch just with a few more dips. Hummus is probably the best I have had in my life. Everything is delicious, everything... BUT the lack of protein was disappointing I'm a trainer and actually came straight from the gym very excited having in mind the lamb and chicken.. not for brunch! My diet is high in protein and I barely got any for brunch. However, Mustafa our server was great and the music was nice, good environment but I wouldn't go again for brunch.

Menu
Amin S.

Interior: wow! Great spot to impress a date. Went there on a Sunday at 1300 & it was empty. Why? Everyone was out on the patio. They have paid attention too details here. Unique stamped (with the restaurant name) plates etc. Service: prompt and attentive. Good: great! Had the Hatpti and the chicken shish. Both were excellent and filling! Would easily return !!

Nazia C.

It's unfortunate I have to leave this review. The food was tasty and the restaurant is beautiful inside. I had a reservation for my birthday dinner. We were seated close to the entrance so there was a cold winter breeze anytime the door opened. Before we placed our order we kindly asked to be moved to another table because it was so cold. They moved us to a back corner behind the bar. At first it was fine but the service declined drastically. The appetizer and entree came out at the same time. The saganaki and my lamb weren't hot. They were warm but not hot which leads me to think they weren't cooked before coming out to our table. The inside of the saganaki wasn't even melted. Basically after we were given our food, we were completely ignored. I had to flag down someone to fill my water glass and then flag again to order another beverage. I then had to get their attention again when we were ready for the check. For the birthday celebration they gave us two complimentary pieces of baklava. But the same waitress who brought us the baklava cleared our tables and took our napkins and utensils before bringing us the baklava. She did not give us new napkins for the baklava. So we had sticky baklava with no napkins to wipe our hands with. I don't understand why they would do that but the whole experience was upsetting especially considering this was for my birthday

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2 months ago

Amazing food, very attentive and friendly service, overall great! It was maybe a little too dark in there

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1 month ago

Delicious food, good ambience and really good service! Would definitely come back again.

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Elia Reviews in Other Languages

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Cira

Cira

(601 reviews)

$$

Fulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side

Beautiful restaurant located inside the Hoxton Hotel in Chicago, and the space itself sets the tone…read moreright away. The atmosphere is lively yet intimate, perfect for a date night or a special dinner without feeling stuffy or overly formal. Service was great - attentive without being intrusive, and our server checked in just enough to make sure everything was going well. Hummus: 9/10 Not much to say other than it was incredible. Smooth and flavourful Falafel: 9/10 Perfectly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. It was paired with pickled ginger and carrots, which complemented the saltiness of the falafel beautifully and added a nice brightness. Lamb Kofta: 9/10 So much depth of flavor with a great texture. Somewhat firm but not dry with a nice bounciness that made it really enjoyable to eat. Pistachio Ravioli: 10/10 my favourite dish of the night. The ravioli was cooked al dente with just the right amount of filling and paired with an orange blossom sauce that surprisingly worked perfectly with the nuttiness of the pistachio. Steak Skewers: 8.5/10 Cooked to perfection and incredibly tender. The beans served alongside were amazing as well. My only complaint is that the steak was slightly lacking in flavour, it could have used a sauce to elevate it but it was still excellent on its own. Lamb Chops: 9/10 Perfectly cooked and packed with flavour. Came with a lamb sausage spanakopita that was delicious. My only disappointment was that there were just two small chops. Rice Pudding Brulee: 7/10 Not bad. I'm not a big dessert person in general, but this was decent. Not too sweet, and the texture of the rice was really well done. Salted Tahini Ice Cream: 7.5/10 A mild, nutty flavor that was unique and interesting.

Went to grab brunch. Enjoyed the experience. I just didnt like the number of dogs I saw at the…read morefront area. I had the cream cheese stuffed blintzes, maple sausage, and emperor elixir. I enjoyed it. Cute spot. Service was good.

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen - Kurdish coffee -- very tiny but sooooo good!

The Gundis Kurdish Kitchen

(676 reviews)

$$

Lakeview

I'm very happy that I closed out my visit to Chi-City at this amazing gastronomy destination! Made…read morea last minute reservation, and the magic unfolded. Beverages: 5/5. I don't see the drink I ordered online and I forgot to take a picture of the menu. That said, it was a superbly blended craft cocktail with whiskey. Cuisine: 5/5. The stuffed chicken was recommended by the waiter and it was superb! Flavorful, filling, and just the perfect meal after walking miles around the city. The milk pudding was a solid closer, but I'd probably order one of their other desserts next time. Service: 5/5. Efficient, which was impressive, given the dinner rush. Ambiance: 5/5. Classy space, nothing to dislike. Buen provecho.

I have since returned twice for dinner. We had a lovely meal 3 years ago and returned lat night…read morereminiscing about it. We found the service to be incredible - warm, sincere, helpful. The staff genuinely cared to deliver a positive dining experience. Our water glasses were always refilled (so many restaurants these days don't do it). The menu is marked so well for allergens - my friend is vegan and I am vegetarian gluten-free - I was able to enjoy the soup, appetizers, and salads. They prepared a vegan cous cous for my friend. I recalled the salads being better - it was mostly greens with very little of walnuts/ beans, etc - the other ingredients that had previously made these wholesome and enjoyable. I might suggest cutting back on overall size of the salad but not on the ratios of the recipe. The soup was flavorful and they provided me with gluten-free bread. And my friend absolutely loved the cous cous - generous portions, flavorful spices. My husband had had the lamb shank last time which he found a bit dry. Last night he gobbled up the stuffed chicken delightedly.

Oda Mediterranean Cuisine - Butternut squash soup and mini eggplant roulades

Oda Mediterranean Cuisine

(208 reviews)

$$

Andersonville, Edgewater

I've always thought that having a great restaurant within walking distance of where you live is an…read moreundervalued property perk. We are lucky to have a wide range of cuisine options near our place in Andersonville, and now we can add Turkish-Georgian fusion to our regular rotation. We had a wonderful meal there--I took advantage of the Restaurant Week menu and ordered cioppino. Half the time I order seafood in a restaurant, I end up with rubbery shrimp and tasteless fish. Not at Oda. Their seafood stew was filled with great stuff. My wife had tokat chicken, which she also enjoyed. The humus, Khachapuri, salad and dessert flight were also excellent. It would be fun to go there with a group. It's an ideal place for a shared-plate night out with friends. But there is one thing--like most restaurants in the city, the tables are close together, which is totally fine. We're not looking for Applebee's-type table separation when we go out. Even when you get a table a few inches between two others, it takes about 30 seconds to isolate your own conversation and enjoy your meal, unless you're next to a table where the diners are essentially yelling at each other. I'm not talking about a couple fighting about money or a bunch of 30-somethings getting rowdy on Moscow mules and umami burgers during a night out without their kids. I'm talking about two people yelling--in a friendly way--about the most mundane subject of all: their coworkers. We noticed as soon as we sat down but by the time we considered asking to be moved, the three tables nearby were filled. No big deal. It was kind of entertaining, in an eardrum-splitting way. Their conversation was shockingly loud. And not just the statements, like "SHE THINKS SHE'S IN LINE FOR HIS JOB," but also the brief conversational acknowledgements, like "YEAH! FOR SURE!" It was like sitting next to dueling car alarms. If you're familiar with Pee-Wee's Playhouse, picture the obnoxious salesman who loudly blah-blah-blahs his way to a quickly slammed door, courtesy of Mr. Herman, but two of them whose faces are two feet apart. And we had no door to slam. All that being said, this isn't a knock on the restaurant at all. And since Oda is so close and so good, we'll be back. And hopefully by then, Josh from accounting figures out how to use Smartsheet--"RIGHT? IT'S RIDICULOUS!"--so if we do end up next to the Decibel Duo, we'll have a new workplace dilemma to listen to.

Came for dinner. Our family shared pita and hummus to start, which was the best I've ever had. The…read morepita was fresh and soft, and the hummus was creamy. So much of the menu appealed to me, and I don't go out for Mediterranean often, so it was super difficult to choose a meal (family style would have been ideal but with Mediterranean we couldn't have more diverse preferences). So I ended up opting for two small/lighter dishes to have my own tasting: the mini eggplant roulades and soup (I tried to order the chicken meatball on the menu, but they only had butternut squash). The mini eggplant roulades were just DEVINE. So unique and so fresh. The soup was really good - since it wasn't on the menu I had no description when ordering - it ended up having some curry spice which isn't my favorite (specifically cumin) but still enjoyed it. Our server was really friendly, originally from Turkey and was receptive to my parents' excitement over our upcoming trip to Istanbul. We weren't rushed on a weekend evening. The restaurant was really nice and pleasant atmosphere. A little more upscale than I was expecting. I would absolutely love to go back here and try more of the menu. Although I know the struggle would be real to not repeat the eggplant roulades.

Ema - Salmon bab.

Ema

(1.9k reviews)

$$

Near North Side

I've come here with my boyfriend a handful of times and we love it. We like to try different…read morecocktails every time. The mimosa on a nice summer day on the patio is my happy place. The entrees are amazing too. The rice with the chicken skewer is my favorite so far and my boyfriend loves the beef and lamb skewer. The service has always been great as well. We've had the same server a couple times now and she's friendly and gets the job done. (Wish I could remember her name!) The ambience is great. With natural light coming in and the soft lamps, it's calming. Truly a beautiful restaurant.

So disappointed. I…read morecame about 5 years ago and loved my meal, especially the sticky date cake, which lingered in my memory as my favorite all time dessert. This year I was so excited to bring my family and Ema was the only restaurant in Chicago I couldn't wait for them to try. I booked it as our final meal in Chicago and lay awake at 4am being so disappointed in my choice. Our server's greeting was monotone and emotionless, which I realize now, would be foreshadowing the meal to come. Ordered the following 1) Smoky eggplant- arrived appearing as an unappetizing curdled purple grey mush. This was the worst tasting baba ghanouj I have ever eaten. It was acidic and had the texture of cottage cheese. The only redeeming thing about this appetizer was the warm naan. 2) house made stratciatella with side of green falafels- The stratciatella was bland and stringy. I would not order this dish expecting the creamy interior of typical burrata. However, if you like string cheese mixed with heavy cream- you may enjoy this dish. The tomatoes and basil were good. 3) chicken kefta- kefta was bland, rice even blander . 4) short rib with polenta- bland and the meat and polenta had the same texture, which seems impossible but somehow the plating was over complicated by the addition of mushy dates and grapes. 5) buttered noodles- my 8 year old ordered this. It was decent with a good amount of Parmesan and cooked perfectly al dente. By the end of the meal, I was so shocked by how terrible the food was I didn't even want to order the sticky date cake that was my main purpose for returning to this restaurant. Ema, what happened to you?!

Elia - turkish - Updated May 2026

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